Still With Me
by mwah.x
Summary: George has found his new friendship in Hermione a year after his twin brother died at the battle of Hogwarts. Together they face the memory of Fred and Hermione gets more than she bargains for when she visits the sight of the tragic explosion. (Mostly canon but I've obviously made changes) Rated M for safety
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I own none of the characters or any of the Harry Potter franchise as much as I wished I did. Any original ideas you see belong to me obviously. Thanks for reading :)**

The cold and now empty corridors of Hogwarts held countless memories for George and as he walked down through the stone arches high above his head he sighed, casting his mind back to the year before.

_'You're joking Perce! You actually ARE joking… I don't think I've heard you joke since you were…'_

If he closed his eyes now he could still hear the sickening crack of the wall falling down on them, crashing against Fred's whole body, crushing his brother, his best friend and then the horrific silence that followed. That was the worst part. George was used to the deafening sound of the wall caving in, he almost took comfort in the sound, but the silence after… that was what kept George awake at night. That was what kept him from sleeping, eating, talking or even functioning properly for the past year.

It had been Hermione's idea that he visit Hogwarts again, letting go she had called it. It didn't feel like letting go to him. It felt like saying goodbye and George wasn't ready to do that just yet. His head pounded as he walked closer and closer to the site where his twin had left him. Hermione had told him that it would hurt, that he wouldn't be okay but he knew she was right. He had to at least go back once, see if anything had changed. If it had all been just a bad dream.

Hermione was the only one who could get through to George now. He refused to talk to most people, not being able to stand their pity and their looks of sadness as they told him 'Fred was such a good guy' and 'He didn't deserve to go so young'. But with Hermione she just looked at him and told him he was being stupid and 'Fred wasn't gone so you could mope around feeling sorry for yourself for a whole year and not looking after the shop'. He listened to her now more than ever after one night of them getting drunk together after she had ended things with Ron she told him she had always loved Fred and when he had died she was so alone and scared that she just threw herself at Ron. She knew Fred almost as well as George knew him.

Rounding the corner he looked over his shoulder, seeking the support of his new found friendship with the bookworm, to find she was still stood at the start of the corridor. He could visibly see her shaking as she stared, unseeing, into the emptiness before her. Carefully and gently he raised his arm, holding his hand palm up and called out to her.

'Hermione?'

'Yeah?' She called back.

'Come with me.' It wasn't a question but she stood and considered her decision for a moment.

'I'm scared' She retorted, her voice breaking as fresh tears fell down her face.

'So am I.' George confessed. At this Hermione tentatively stepped forward and, one step at a time, began to walk towards him. As she reached him she placed her small, dainty hand in George's rough, larger and calloused one and gripped it tightly. They stood like that for a while, both staring at each other, gaining strength from the other as their hands clasped onto each other. She nodded signalling that she was okay. George took a deep, shaking breath and nodded back. They turned and walked together down the rest of the hallway.

**A/N: Feedback?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks you for your kind reviews and follows, I hope this chapter fulfills any expectations you have. I promise it will get better it might just be a bit slow going to get into the main bulk of the story. This is more of a filler chapter to get to the next big stepping stone in the story so stick with it :) **

**As always I don't own Harry Potter and I never will (sadly). Any original ideas you see are my own :)**

A cold gust of air brushed against the two as they rounded the corner, causing Hermione to shiver and grip George's hand tighter. The hallway was virtually unrecognisable from that night yet to George he could still see the wall caving in around his twin.

'Are you okay?' Hermione squeezed his hand in comfort and gently nudged him forward.

'Truthfully no.' George's reply sent new shivers down her spine and almost caused her to stop. It was all building up on her. She began to feel the weight of her decision to make George revisit this place coming down on her, causing her breathing to quicken and her heart began to race. As they neared the exact location of Fred's all too tragic death her breathing was close to hyperventilation and she felt as if her heart was going to give up it was beating so fast.

'This is it. This is where he…' George's voice trailed off, wavering slightly, as if close to tears himself. Hermione nodded almost imperceptibly and let go of his hand, desperately trying to control her breathing. George took a step forward, oblivious to Hermione's panic and touched the wall with the tips of his fingers, stroking the brick work. 'You're such a git, you know that right?' he shouted into the air, choking on his words, tears falling unabashedly down his gaunt face now. 'Why didn't you bloody move you idiot?'

Hermione sank to the floor, her breathing getting worse as George yelled into the cold spring air. She felt as if the walls were collapsing over and over again around her, recreating Fred's death to make her suffer for some past wrong, for letting Fred take that final step and for dragging George to this God-forsaken place. George just continued to shout and recall memories into the empty corridor as Hermione's vision began to black out, spots of white and red clouding her vision as her body began to shut down around her in order to get the oxygen it so desperately needed.

George turned as he heard a thud behind him, shocked to find the crumpled body of Hermione behind him, breathing but shallowly, eyelids fluttering as her eyes moved beneath them.

'Hermione!' he yelled trying to shake her from her unconscious state. 'Hermione, what in Merlin's name happened? What do I do? I don't know what to do 'Mione. You're the smart one out of the two of us!' He ferociously brushed his tears away from his face, lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the corridor and towards the infirmary and towards Poppy. She would know what to do.

**A/N: Review? all criticism is welcome :) Love ya ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's another chapter! Yes, so soon :) aren't I good to you? ;) Well here goes!**

**I own nothing apart from the original ideas you see before you :) **

It was dark and her head was pounding. Mentally she did a body check, quickly wiggling each finger and toe, trying to pinpoint any particular injury and upon finding none, yet noting her breathing had returned to normal, she slowly opened her eyes. Wincing at the sudden intrusion of the bright light, she groped around trying to find her wand. Coming up short she tried to sit up. To her surprise she found herself sat on a large mahogany four poster bed, white sheets covering her lower torso and legs.

As she pushed the sheet off of her and spun so her legs were touching the cool wooden floor she realised she was no longer dressed in the blue jeans and jumper she had been wearing earlier but was now dressed in pure white satin pyjamas that brushed softly against her skin every time she moved. Getting up from the large bed proved a harder task than Hermione originally had thought due to her current headache. Her vision blurred slightly as she took her first shaky step but began to clear as she breathed more deeply.

As soon as her vision was restored she glanced around her, taking note that all the furniture was a similar mahogany to the bed and the fabrics and trimmings of the room such as the walls were the brilliant white of the bed sheets and her night clothes. The light that had intruded upon her rest was the mid-morning sun streaming in from the large window to her right and as she left the bedroom she found the rest of this house to be decorated in much the same fashion.

It reminded Hermione much of a dream she had once had, immediately after Fred had died. It was funny, she had forgotten about the dream until this moment, when all the memories of that night came flooding back to her.

Immediately knowing she had little time she raced towards the open plan living and dining area. As she came into the large open space she saw him. His flash of copper hair peeking up from the winged chair he was sat in. He was the only bit of colour in the room and he seemed to draw all the light and attention towards him, almost as if he had his own gravity. As she neared the chair she saw his legs uncross and his bare feet curl up in the shaggy carpet beneath his toes.

As he stood the breath was knocked out of her, her eyes opening wide and her hand reaching up to cover her gaping mouth.

'Fred? It's you. It's really you?' The last part was filled with uncertainty, questioning his presence before her. Her hand reached out to his jaw, stroking from his hairline down to his sharp, angular chin. Satisfied that it was really him she threw herself into his arms, gripping his upper body as she shook with heaving sobs, relieved to see him once more.

'Shhhhh' he soothed her 'it's okay, we have longer this time.' His voice drew Hermione from her joy and she pulled back from his chest. He brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumb, smiling down at her, drawing her in with his impossibly deep blue eyes.

'You're dead?' Her voice shook as he nodded, confirming what she feared the most.

'Yes.' His short answer caused Hermione to pull back from him completely. She sat, her headache back with a vengeance.

'Then how come you're here? And just where is here anyway?'

'You tell me. I'm only here because you passed out on Forge back there.'

'Oh my God he's going to be freaking out so much. It was my fault we were there anyway!' She fumbled, gasping for air, panicking once more.

'Shh, Hermione I know I said we had longer this time but seriously, there's not that much time. You need to go back and…' She cut him off mid-sentence.

'What if I don't want to go back? What's left for me there? I need you Fred. I need you back!' She was crying again, her face red and puffy as she shouted at him.

'You have to go back' he grabbed her hand and squeezed lightly in a comforting gesture. 'I need you to go back.'

'Why?' Her voice was so small and meek it made Fred shiver and grip her hand tighter.

'I need you to be okay. I'm coming back really soon. I promise.' His determined voice took Hermione off guard slightly, causing her to shy away from his passion.

'No spell can re-awaken the dead, Dumbledore always taught us that.' She was shocked and scared at his promise, standing and walking away from him.

'What if I wasn't really dead?' He asked, voice timid and shy.

'You are dead, I buried you Fred! Don't do this to me! This isn't okay. I can't… you're just a dream anyway. You're not real. I don't want to be here anymore.' Fred walked towards her shaking form. She was beginning to glow slightly, indicating it was time for her to leave anyway. 'Don't come near me! LEAVE ME ALONE!' she screamed, crumpling into a foetus position on the floor and shaking. The light she was emanating began to wrap itself around her, long strands of bright white light, drawn from her heart and wrapping around her, protecting her in a light cocoon.

'I'll see you again 'Mione. I promise.' His promise fell on deaf ears as the light began to grow, almost blinding Fred, causing him to cover his eyes and turn away. When he turned back the light had gone, taking Hermione with it. 'I promise.' He whispered into the empty space before him. 'I promise.'

**A/N: You like? You review? You follow? I love you :) x**


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